Gaspipe Theater Company presents One-Act Play Festival

JACK FELIX

Sun-Gazette Correspondent

LEWISBURG — Seven is not only a common denominator but perhaps also a “lucky” number for the Gaspipe Theater Company.

For the seventh consecutive year, the Gaspipe Theater Company, having teamed up with RiverStage Community Theater, presents the Gaspipe One-Act Play Festival, consisting of the premiere of seven original one act plays to be staged at the former Lewisburg High School (Greenspace Center), 815 Market St., 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with a 2:30 p.m. matinee on Sunday.

Each short play (10-15 minutes running time) will feature two to six actors, with a different director for the seven scripts submitted by playwrights from the Susquehanna Valley, and from other sites around the country.

Although four playwrights reside in this area, one writer, Kay Phillips, hails from Arizona, while Patti Cassidy is from the Boston area and Eoin Carney lives in Pittsburgh.

The original scripts cover a wide variety of genres: from drama and satire, to mystery and comedy.

Riverstage director of communications Jove Graham breaks down the Festival’s play titles, writers and directors: “Deception” (about a jewel heist) is written and directed by Ben Hartman; “Enter Daisy Buchannan,” Patti Cassidy’s drama about Zelda Fitzgerald coming face-to-face with her husband’s fictional creation is directed by Kahlie DeHotman; and “The Improvisation Game,” Jove Graham’s comedy about a troupe of actors trying to recruit a new member, is directed by Steve Aquirre.

Also scheduled are the following one act plays: “Jesus Feeds the 4,999”, the drama about a disciple with unusual dietary restrictions, written by Kay Phillips, has Derek Scott directing; “Eurekas,” (a comedy about philosophers in the time of Archimedes), penned by Eoin Carney with Andrew Shaffer in the director’ chair; a murder mystery “The (Un) Solvable Crime,” written by Jacob Tanner with Caroline Pogust directing; and “Veriscent,” Rosalind Elise Parenzan’s drama about a sculptor and the ceramic creation that speaks to him, with Isaac J. Conner directing.

The 22 actors participating in the Festival’s seven plays (which have a total continuous running time of approximately two hours) reside primarily in Lewisburg, Milton, Danville, Selinsgrove and Williamsport.

Gaspipe Theater Company co-founder Derek Scott said, “We love doing new works, and we love giving local playwrights an opportunity to see their work come to life. It’s a great way to experience some fresh, live theater.”